from nbc news, the state of the union address, live from washington. here's brian williams. >> well, good evening. and behind us here tonight, the entire government will be gathered in one building for the prident's state of the union address, and in many ways, tonight the real work of the second term of the obama presidency begins. at least the part the president would like to accomplish and where he sees the nation headed. he faces, of course, a sharply divided congress, sometimes violently so, and a divided viewing audience. here tonight, a nation starting to see some daylight after years

of recession, and it's the long, suffering middle class that will be the target of much of his message tonight. we should tell you at the same time, we are following a very tense news event, across the continent on the west coast in the san berardino mountains, gunfire and then a fire over an hour we've been watching this in a cabin in the woods believed to contain the sniper, ex-cop, the military veteran that has terrorized southern california for days. another loss of life tonight. a police deputy there confirmed dead and if this situation is resolved, we're keeping a close eye on it, we will let you know, following the conclusion of the president's remarks. back inside the house chamber we go, we've been watching arrivals tonight. first lady has taken her seat. members of the supreme court. and now members of the cabinet. outgoing, incoming and those who

are saying on. you're going to see a lot of ribbons and a lot of lapels tonight. the green ribbons are for the victims of the shooting violence in newtown, connecticut. there are other ribbons, black and white, for shothose in the shooting incident that wounded gaby giffords. we want to bring our panel in, starting with david gregory as we look at congresswoman giffords. a viewer's guide? >> tone will be important. this is a big moment in the president's presidency. there is no moment for president like being re-elected. i think the president feels like his theory of the economy has been validated by re-election and let's not forget, economic restoration is still the major goal. he has a lot of opportunities, and a lot of emotion tonight is around new gun laws, new gun

control measures. some momentum. we'll see what can happen. immigration reform, bipartisan movement there. but i'll tell you, brian, this is a very difficult atmosphere over taxes and the budget. i spent some time with speaker boehner today. who said the president doesn't have the guts to take on spending. doesn't have the courage to take on liberals in his own party. these sides are really far apart on something as fundamental as how we deal with spending and the debt in our country. and that's going to be part of the back drop tonight. >> the relationship right now between the two men who will be feet apart tonight, the president and the house speaker, just seem so -- bordering on toxic. certainly mocking and combative in tone, and has been that way at least publicly for some time. as we watch -- there is kelly o'donnell there on the right, who is available to us as we get under way from her terrific seat in the gallery. kiel, it's okay.

we caught you with your reading glasses on. we all use them. >> i have the binoculars too. the opera glasses. we have been seeing some of the relationships you don't see in the day-to-day congress. where there is more collegial nature. to see lindsay graham laughing with eric holder is not an every day occurrence. the meeting with speaker boehner, i asked boehner about his own future. he says he's not going anywhere, so those who predicted he might have a short speakership, he says he's staying on, a lot of work to do. we are seeing the ribbons and i had a moment to speak to gaby giffords. she responded quickly. her voice was strong, emotions strong and she brings the emotion of the gun control issue to the chamber tonight.

>> kelly o'donnell, from the press gallery above the chamber. in the new ghoulish term of the post-9/11 era, there is a cabinet secretary who sat it out, stayed home, ordered pizza with the secret service so that the government can continue, should there be, god forbid, a massive attack on the building behind us. tonight, it's energy secretary steven chu. this person is known as the designated survivor, if you can believe it. a term of distinction. savannah guthrie, let's talk about the atmospherics in the hall, what we can see, and what will be off camera. >> we touched on it already. the atmosphere in terms of the bitterness and the divided nature of our government right now. if you talk to republicans and democrats, the view you get of the other party is just so stark. as far as the speaker and republicans are concerned, the

president emboldened, confrontational, wants to obliterate the party. on the side of the white house, aides think the republican party is fractured, weak, vulnerable, unable to govern itself and unable to make deals to solve the big problem and you've alluded to it, an incredible emotional weight inside this hall tonight, because of the many, many victims of gun violence there. a coordinated campaign by one congressman to have multiple victims of gun violence sitting there in the hall. you see them with green ribbons, and issue the president has not brought up in any state of the union so far, but will talk about tonight. >> we saw susan rice, who for a time thought she would be the new secretary of state and there is the new secretary of state himself, john kerry, with the chief justice behind him. chuck todd, we'll talk to bobby jindal when it's all over tonight, and he notably gaye a speech that said to fellow republicans, we have to stop

being the stupid party and as savannah alludes to, this is a rebuilding year. the way republicans have to see it. >> it is. and the choice to give the response is marco rubio, trying to respond to some of the problems in the 2012 election. let's find a nonwhite guy to be the face of the republican party. but we'll see the parts of twar republican party. one republican invited ted nugent to sit with him. we have gun control advocates, and ted nugent, a former rocker and gun rights advocate. and the tea party is doing its own response, so the issue of the republican party trying to figure out where they go from here, how they combat the president, their own divides are showing up tonight in things they didn't necessarily want to showcase on a night when there

are so many eyeballs. >> andrea mitchell, as we sit here, we're less than 24 hours of learning that north korea had set off a nuclear test. the white house is known to be concerned. they knew north korea was a nuclear nation when they took power. they are known to be concerned over their delivery system. a nice euphemism for how well their missile could work, how high and how far it could go. >> and, in fact, you just saw john kerry. he was up most of the night calling asian leaders, and susan rice spent most of the day at the united nations getting a unanimous condemnation, including from china. the question, how much will china really pressure north korea economically? can they reach the united states, and if so, have they now with this test, as they claim, so miniaturized the weapon they could put it on a rocket that could get that far? this test was a lot bigger -- a

lot bigger explosion than we had anticipated. we put aircraft up in the air with sensors to see if it was uranium rather than plutonium. uranium would be more dangerous. in looking at the chamber and you see all of the characters, you don't see chuck hagel, the defense secretary nominee. he had a rough time in the nomination hearing this afternoon. ted krug, the freshman from texas, went after him so personally and so vigorously, that even john mccain and other critics of haggle came to his defense and he ended up with a 14-11 vote in committee and it will go to the floor now, so he likely will be confirmed, perhaps as soon as thursday. >> those just joining us, we want to bring you up to date on what's happening. the president has left the holding room and has approached the doorway, and you see the cameras getting ready to focus in. and you will hear him introduced by the sergeant at arms, paul

irving. >> the president of the united states.3 f1 >> "the washington post" today

becomes kind of a once every couple of years event, talks about how coveted the aisle seats are, how firmly protected they are by their occupants. the scramble to get a good seat, meaning face time and camera time with the president, as he comes down the hallway, say nothing of the rest of the leadership. a fixture on the aisle, somebody we've talked about before, eliot engle from the bronx. he is right there. waiting to pounce. there he is. his 25th time. >> oh! >> wow. >> the president went right by eliot engle who -- who remains there on the aisle. >> got on camera anyway. >> now he will try for pat leahy i guess. kelly, how did that happen? a swing and a miss by congressman engel. >> and he has been waiting for hours today, brian.

we are told he gets more reaction from constituents about that moment than a lot of other things he does on behalf of his district here. you pointed out, there are coveted roles here to play. people know this is a highly watched moment. we saw a couple of the new faces, joaquin castro, whose brother, the mayor of san antonio, julian cast rock a big star at the dnc convention. he was there. you get a sense this was a moment where people can make a connection, that they hope will elevate their sort of level of exposure. there is sheila jackson lake. the president is well versed on who sits on the aisle and i guess he was making his own choices about where to extend his hand this time around. >> i guess so. we keep showing the picture from the first lady's box. we want to let you know, the woman on the screen left as you look at the picture is hadiya pendleton's mom, the 15-year-old killed by gun violence in chicago.

the first lady just attended her funeral, and her name is cleo patrick cowley. she is the guest of the first lady tonight. the president making pretty good time nearing the final term. david gregory, one of the great traditions of this event no, matter who the president is, no matter what you make of it. >> the whole world is watching. not the only ones getting the sense of the state of the union. a lot of people want to know what the state of the united states is. in our business community, in governments around the world. but interesting. here the president is in the house chamber, at a time when the house is controlled by republicans and the stalwart opponents of what the speaker calls a unapologetically liber liber liber liberal agenda. a lot of focus on the house and

senate. we were talking about the let congress do its job and stay out of our hair and see what we can do with the president. it's a picture of dysfunction, even if there is a lot of ceremonial handshake and smiles tonight. >> a lot of brass, as he passes by the joint chiefs, including the hulking presence of ray odinerio with his shaved head. andrea. >> the one thing that might actually miss some progress they believe is immigration. and a number of democratic senators say marco rubio is really working with them and two steps forward, one step back, but they think they are actually making progress there. >> and he comes up, two last hands to shake. then it will be the vice president, and the speaker. if we have any closeup pictures of joe biden, he is suffering

from a scratched cornea from a contact lens. wearing a backup pair of glasses to nurse an eye injury over the past weekend. >> thank you. >> envelopes containing his speech. exchange an air kiss with the first lady up in the box. >> thank you. thank you. >> members of congress, i have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the united states. >> thank you.

thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you so much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. please, everybody. mr. speaker, mr. vice president, members of congress, fellow americans, 51 years ago, john f. kennedy declared to this chamber that the constitution makes us not rivals for power, but partners for progress.

it is my task, he said, to report the state of the union. to improve it is a task of us all. tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the american people, there is much progress to report. after a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home.3 f1 after years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over 6 million new jobs. we buy more american cars than we have in five years.

and less foreign oil than we have in 20. our housing market is healing. our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before. so together we have cleared away the rubble of crisis. and we can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.3 f1 but we gath every here, knowing that there are millions of americans, whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded.

our economy is adding jobs, but too many people still can't find full-time employment. corporate profits have skyrocketed to all-time highs. but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged. it is our generation's task then to reignite the true engine of america's economic growth. a rising, thriving middle class. it is -- it is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country. the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like or who you love. it is our unfinished task to make sure that this government

works on behalf of the many. and not just the few. that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiatives, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across in great nation. the american people don't expect government to solve every problem. they don't expect those in this chamber to agree on every issue. but they do expect us to put the nation's interests before parties.3 f1 they do expect us to forge

reasonable compromise when we can. for they know that america moves forward only when we do so together. and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all. our work must begin by making some basic decisions about our budget. decisions that will have a huge impact on the strength of our recovery. over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than 2$2.5 trillion. mostly through spending cuts, but also by raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1% of americans. as a result, we are more than halfway toward the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists say we need to stabilize our finances. now, we need to firn tnish the .

the question is how? congress passed a law in 2011 that if both parties couldn't reach an agreement for our deficit goal, a trillion dollars worth of cuts would go into effect this year. these sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would jeopardize our military readiness, devastate education, energy, and medical research. they would certainly slow our recovery. and cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs. that's why democrats, republicans, business leaders and economists have already said these cuts known here in washington as the sequester, are a really bad idea. now, some in congress have proposed preventing only the defense cuts. by making even bigger cuts to

things like education and job training. medicare and social security benefits. that idea is even worse.3 f1 yes, the biggest driver of our long-term debt is the rising cost of health care for an aging population and those of us who care deeply about programs like medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms. otherwise our retirement programs will crowd out the investments we need for our children and the promise for future generations. we can't ask senior citizens and working families to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction while asking nothing more from the wealthiest and

most powerful. we won't grow the middle class simply by shifting the cost of health care or college onto families that are already struggling, or by forcing community to layoff more teachers and more cops and more firefighters. most americans, democrats, republicans, and independents, understand that we can't just cut our way to prosperity. they know broad-based equality requires a balanced approach to balancing the budget, with everybody doing their fair share. that's the approach i offer tonight. on medicare, i'm prepared to enact reforms that will achieve the same amount of health care savings by the beginning of the next decade as proposed by the bipartisan simpson-bowles commission.

already, the health care act is helping to slow health care costs, and the reforms i'm proposing go even further. we'll reduce taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies and ask more from the wealthiest seniors. we'll bring down costs by changing the way our government pays for medicare, because our medical bills shouldn't be based on the number of tests ordered or days spent in the hospital. they should be based on the quality of care our seniors receive. and i am open to additional reforms from both parties. so long as they don't violate the guarantee of the secure retirement. our government shouldn't make promises we cannot keep. but we must keep the promises

we've already made.3 f1 to hit the rest of our deficit reduction targets, we should do what leaders in both parties have already suggested. and save hundreds of billions of dollars by getting rid of tax loopholes and deductions for the well off and well connected. afterall, why would we choose to make deeper cuts to education and medicare, just to protect special interest tax breaks? how is that fair? why is it that deficit reduction is a big emergency, justifying making cuts in social security benefits, but not closing some loopholes? how does that promote growth? now is our best chance for bipartisan comprehensive tax reform that encourages job creation and helps bring down

the deficit. we can get this done. the american people deserve a tax code that helps small businesses spending less time filling outcome i had indicated forms and more time expanding and hiring. a tax code that lowers incentives to move jobs overseas and tax breaks for businesses and manufacturers that are creating jobs right here in the united states. that's what tax reform delivers, that's what we can do together. i realize that tax reform and entitlement reform will not be

easy. the politics will be hard for both sides. none of us will get 100% of what we want. but the alternative will cost us jobs. hurt our economy. visit hardship on millions of hard-working americans. so let's set party interests aside and work to pass a budget that replaces reckless cuts with smart savings and wise investments in our future and let's do it without the brinkmanship that stresses consumers and scares off investors. the greatest nation on earth -- the greatest nation on earth cannot keep conducting its business by drifting from one manufactured crisis to the next. we can't do it. let's agree. let's agree right here, right

now, to keep the people's government open and pay our bills on time, and always uphold the full faith and credit of the united states of america. the american people have worked too hard for too long, rebuilding from one crisis to see their elected officials cause another. now, most of us agree that a plan to reduce the deficit must be part of our agenda. but let's be clear. deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan. a growing economy that creates good middle class jobs, that must be the north star that

guides our efforts. every day we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation. how do we attract more jobs to our shores? how do we equip our people with the skills they need to get those jobs? and how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living? a year and a half ago, i put guardian american jobs act that independent economists said would create more than one million new jobs, and i thank the last congress for passing some of that agenda. i urge this congress to pass the rest. but tonight i will lay out additional proposals that are fully paid for, and fully consistent, with the budget framework both parties agreed to just 18 months ago. let me repeat, nothing i am proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime. it is not a bigger government we

need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth. that's what we should be looking for. our first priority is making america a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing. after shedding jobs for more than ten years, our manufacturers have added about $5 500,000 jobs over the past three. caterpillar bringing back jobs from japan, ford bringing back jobs from mexico, and this year, apple will start making macs in america again. there are things we can do right now to accelerate this trend. last year we created our first manufacturing invasion institute in youngstown, ohio. a once shuttered warehouse is

now a state of the art lab where new workers are mastering 3-d printing that has the revolutionize the way we make almost everything. i am announcing three more of these labs where we can turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs, and i ask this congress to help create a network of 15 of these hubbs a and guarantee the next generation is made right here in america. we can get that done. now, if we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas. every dollar we invest to map

the human genome returned $140 to our economy. every dollar. today, our scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to alzheimers, they are developing drugs to regenerate damaged organs, devicing new materials to make batteries ten times more powerful. now is not the time to cut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. now is the time to reach a level of research and development, not seen since the height of the space race. we need to make those investments. today, no area holds more promise that our investments in american energy. after years of talking about it, we're finally poised to control our own energy future. we produce more oil at home than

we have in 15 years. we have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas, and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar. with tens of thousands of good american jobs to show for it. we produce more natural gas than ever before. and nearly everyone's energy bill is lower because of it. and over the last four years, our missions of the dangerous carbon pollution that threatens our planet has actually fallen. but for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change.3 f1 now, it's true that no single event makes a trend.

but the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have come in the last 15. heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods, all are now more frequent and more intense. we can choose to believe that superstorm sandy and the most severe drought in decades and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence, or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science, and act before it's too late. now, the good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. i urge this congress to get together, pursue a bipartisan market-based solution to climate change, like the one john mccain and joe liberman worked on

together a few years ago, but if congress won't act soon to protect future generations, i will. i will direct -- i will direct my cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take now and in the future to reduce pollution, prepare our community for the consequences of climate change and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy. four years ago, other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it, we have begun to change that. last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in america. let's generate even more. solar energy gets cheaper by the year. let's drive down costs even further. as long as countries like china keep going all in on clean energy, so must we. and in the meantime, the natural gas boom has led to cleaner power and greater energy independence. we need to encourage that. that's why my administration

will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits. that's got to be part of an all of the above plan. i also want to work with this congress to encourage research and technology that helps natural gas burn even cleaner and protects our air and our water. in fact, much of our new-found energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together. so tonight i propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an energy security trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good. if a nonpartisan coalition of ceos and retired generals and admirals can get behind this idea, then so can we. let's take their advice and free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we've put up with for far too long. i'm also issuing a new goal for america. let's cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and

businesses over the next 20 years. we'll work with the states to do it. those states with the best ideas to create jobs and lower energy bills by constructing more efficient buildings willcy feder receive federal support to make that happen. america's energy system is just one part of an aging infrastructure in bad need of repair. where would any ceo rather work? one with an aging infrastructure or one with high-tech schools. se siemens america says if we upgrade our infrastructure, they will bring more jobs and that's the attitude of companies all around the world. and i know you want these job

creating projects in your districts. i have seen all of those ribbon cuttings. so tonight i propose a fix-it-first program to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country. and to make sure taxpayers don't shoulder the whole burden, i'm also proposing a partnership to rebuild america that attracts private capital to upgrade what our businesses need most. modern ports to move our goods. modern pipelines to withstand a storm. modern schools, worthy of our children. let's prove there is no better place to do business than here in the united states of america,

and let's start right away. we can get this done. and part of our rebuilding effort must also involve our housing sector. the good news is, our housing market is finally healing from the collapse of 2007. home prices are rising at the fastest pace in six years. home purchases are up nearly 50%. and construction is expanding again. but even with mortgage rates near a 50-year low, too many families with solid credit, who want to buy a home, are being rejected. too many families who never missed a payment and want to refinance are being told no. that's holding our entire economy back. we need to fix it. right now, there is a bill in this congress that would give every responsible homeowner in america the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at

today's rates. democrats and republicans have supported it before, so what are we waiting for? take a vote, and send me that bill. why would we be against that? why would that be a partisan issue? helping folks refinance? right now, overlapping regulations keep responsible young families from buying their first home. what's holding us back? let's streamline the process and help our economy grow. these initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructu infrastructure, housing, all of these things will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs, but none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and

training to fill those jobs. and that has to start at the earliest possible age. you know, study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road. but today fewer than 3 in 10 4-year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. most parents can't afford a few hundred bucks a week for preschool. and for poor kids who need help the most, the lack of access to preschool education can shadow them the rest of their lives. tonight, i propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every single child in america. that's something we should be

able to do.3 f1 every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood education can save more than $7 later on, by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime. in states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like georgia, or oklahoma, studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own. we know this works. so let's do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.

let's give our kids that chance. let's also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on the path to a good job. right now countries like germany focus on graduating their high school students with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges. so those german kids, they are ready for a job when they graduate high school. they have been trained for the jobs that are there. now it's schools like p-tec in brooklyn, a collaboration of public schools, university of new york and ibm, students graduate from with a high sch l diploma, and an associate degree. we need to give every student this opportunity. four years ago, we started race to the top. a competition that convinced

almost every state to develop smart eer curricula and new standard. tonight, i'm developing a new challenge, to redesign america's high schools so they better equip americans for the new economy. we will create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. the skills today's employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now and will be there in the future. now, even with better high schools, most will need some higher education. the simple fact, the more education you've got, the more likely you are to have a good job and work your way into the middle class. but today's sky rocketing costs price too many people out of a

higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt. we have made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years, but taxpayers can't keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for education. colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it's our job to make sure that they do. so tonight i asked congress to change the higher education act so that afordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. and tomorrow my administration will release a new college score card that parents and students can use to compare schools based on simple criteria. where you can get the most bang for our education buck. to grow our middle class, our

citizens have to have access to the education and training that today's jobs require. we also have to make sure that america remains a place where everyone who is willing to work hard has the chance to get ahead. our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and inquestii ingenuity of hopeful immigrants. leaders from law enforcement, faith community, they all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform. now is the time to do it. now is the time to get it done. now is the time to get it done. real reform means stronger border security, and we can

build on the progress my administration has already made. putting more boots on the southern border than any time in our history. and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years. real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship. a path that includes passing a background check. paying taxes and a meaningful penalty. learning english and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally. and real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods and attract the highly skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy.3 f1

in other words, we know what needs to be done. and as we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill, and i applaud their efforts. let's get this done. send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and i'll sign it right away and america will be better for it. let's get it done. let's get it done. but we can't stop there. we know our economy is stronger when our wives, our mothers, our daughters, can live their lives free from discrimination in the workplace and free from the fear of domestic violence. today, the senate passed the violence against women's act that joe biden originally wrote almost 20 years ago and i now

urge the house to do the same. good job, joe. and i ask this congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts. and finally pass the paycheck fairness act this year. we know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day's work with honest wages. but today a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty

line. that's wrong. that's why since the last time this congress raised the minimum wage, 19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher. tonight, let's declare in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. we should be able to get that done. this single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. it could mean the difference between fwrogroceries or the fo bank, rent or eviction. scraping by or finally getting ahead. for businesses across the country it would mean customers with more money in their pockets. a whole lot of folks out there would probably need less help from the government. in fact, working folks shouldn't have to wait year after year for

the minimum wage to go up, while ceo pay has never been higher. so here is an idea that governor romney and i actually agreed on last year. let's tie the minimum wage to the cost of living so it finally becomes a wage you can live on. tonight let's also recognize that there are community in this country where no matter how hard you work it is virtually impossible to get ahead. factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up. inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for the first job. america is not a place where the chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny. and that's why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class, for all that are willing to climb them.

let's offer incentives to companies that hire americans who have got what it takes to fill that job opening. but no one will give them a chance anymore because they have been out of work. let's rebuild run down homes and vacant neighborhoods. we will partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in america to get community back on their feet. we'll work with local leaders to target resources, public safety, education, and housing. new tax credits for businesses that hire and invest and we'll work to strengthen families by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples and do more to encourage fatherhood. because what makes you a man isn't the ability to conceive a child, it's having the courage to raise one. and we want to encourage that.

we want to help that.3 f2 tengan el valor de hacerlo. stronger families. stronger community. a stronger america. it is this didnkind of prosperi broad, shared, built on a thriving middle class, that has always been the source of our progress at home. also the foundation of our power and influence throughout the world. tonight, we stand united in saluting the troops and civilians who sacrifice every day to protect us. because of them, we can say with confidence that america will complete its mission in afghanistan and achieve our objective of defeating the core

of al qaeda.3 f1 already we have brought home 33,000 of our brave service men and women. this spring our forces will move into a support role. while afghan security forces take the lead. tonight, i can announce that over the next year, another 34,000 american troops will come home from afghanistan, this drawdown will continue, and by the end of next year, our war in afghanistan will be over.3 f1 beyond 2014, america's commitment to a unified and sovereign afghanistan will endure. but the nature of our commitment will change. we're negotiating an agreement

with the afghan government, the focus is on two missions, training and equipping afghan forces so the country doesn't again slip into chaos and counterterrorism efforts that allow us to pursue the remnants of al qaeda and their affiliates. today, the organization that attacked us on 9/11 is a shadow of its former self. it's true. different al qaeda affiliates and extremist groups have emerged from the arabian peninsula to africa. the threat these groups pose is evolving, but to meet the threat, we don't need to send tens of thousands abroad or occupy nations. we need to help countries like yemen, libya, somalia, provide for their own security. and help ally who's take the

fight to terrorists, like in mali. we will continue to take direct action to terrorists who pose the gravest threat to americans. now, as we do, we must enlist our values in the fight. that's why my administration has worked tirelessly to forge a durable, legal and policy framework to guide our counterterrorism efforts. throughout, we have kept congress fully informed of our efforts. i recognize that in our democracy, no one should just take my word for it that we're doing things the right way. so in the months ahead, i had continue to engage congress to ensure not only are we targeting, detention, and prosecution of terrorists remains consistent with laws and series of checks and balances,

but our efforts are more transparent to the american people and to the world. of course, our challenges don't end with al qaeda. america will continue to lead the effort to prevent the spread of the world's most dangerous weapons. the regime in north korea must know they will only achieve prosperity by meeting their international obligations. provocation of the sort we saw last night will only further isolate them. as we stand by our allies, strengthen our missile defense and take firm action in response to these threats. likewise, the leaders of iran must recognize now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding they meet their obligations and we'll do what's necessary to prevent them

from getting a nuclear weapon.31 tame, we'll engage russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands. our ability to influence others depends on our willingness to lead and meet our obligations. america must also face the rapidly growing threat from cyber attacks. now, we know hackers steal people's identities and infiltrate private e-mails, we know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets. now our enemies are also seeking ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems. we cannot look back years from now and wonder why we did

nothing in the face of real threats to our security and our economy. that's why earlier today, i signed a new executive order that will strengthen a cyber defenses by increasing information sharing and developing standards to protect our security, our jobs, and our privacy. but now -- now congress must act as well by passing legislation to give our government a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks. this is something we should be able to get done on a bipartisan basis. now, even as we protect our people, we should remember that today's world presents not just dangers, not just threats, it presents opportunities. to boost american exports, support american jobs, and level

the playing field in the growing markets of asia. we intend to complete negotiations on a transpacific partnership. and tonight i'm announcing we will launch talks on a comprehensive trade partnership with the european union. trade that's fair and free across the atlantic supports millions of good-paying american jobs. we also know that progress in the most impoverished parts of our world enriches us all. not only because it creates new markets, more stable order in certain regions of the world, but also because it's the right thing to do. in many places, people live on little more than a dollar a day. so the united states will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty in the next two decades by connecting more people to the global economy, by

empowering women, by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve. and helping community to feed and power and educate themselves. by saving the world's children from preventible deaths and by realizing the promise of an aids-free generation which is within our reach. you see, america must remain a beacon to all who seek freedom in this power of historic change. i saw the power of change in burma.

when aung s unun suy ki became free. i want our country to be like that. and in defense of freedom, will remain the anchor of strong alliances from the americas to athens, from europe to asia, in the middle east we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights and support stable transitions to democracy. we know the process will be messy. and we cannot presume to dictate the course of change in countries like egypt. but we will insist on the fundamental rights on all people. we'll keep the pressure on a syrian regime that has murdered its own people and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every syrian. and we will stand steadfast with israel in pursuit of security

and a lasting peace.3 f1 these are the messages i'll deliver when i travel to the middle east next month. and all this work depends on the courage and sacrifice of those who serve in dangerous place s t great personal risk. our diplomats, intelligence officers and men and women of the united states armed forces. as long as commander in chief, we'll do whatever we must to protect those who serve abroad and maintain the best military

the world has ever known.3 f1 we'll invest in new capabilities as we reduce waste and war-time spending. ensure equal treatment for all service members and equal benefits for their families, gay and straight. we will draw upon the courage and skills of our sisters and daughters and moms, because women have proven under fire they are ready for combat. we will keep faith with our veterans, investing in world-class care, including mental health care, for our wounded warriors.

supporting our military families. giving our veterans the benefits, education, and job opportunities that they have earned. i want to thank my wife michelle and dr. jill biden for their continued dedication to serving military families as well as they have served us. thank you, honey. thank you, jill.3 f1 defending our freedom, though, is not just the job of our military alone. we must all do our part to make sure our god-given rights are protected here at home. that includes one of the most fundamental rights of a democracy.

the right to vote.3 f1 now -- when -- when any american, no matter where they live, or what their party, are deny that right because they can't afford to wait for five or six or seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals. so tonight i'm announcing a nonpartisan commission to improve the voting experience in america. and it definitely needs improvement. i'm asking two long-time experts in the field who, by the way, recently served as top attorneys for my campaign and governor romney's campaign, to lead it. we can fix this. and we will. the american people demand it

and so does our democracy.3 f1 of course, what i said tonight matters little if we don't come together to protect our most precious resource, our children. it has been two months since newtown. i know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence. but this time is different. overwhelming majority of americans, americans who believe in the second amendment, have come together around common sense reform. like background checks that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun.

senators -- senators of both parties are working together on tough, new laws to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals. police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines off our streets, because these police chiefs, they are tired of seeing their guys and gals being outgunned. each of these proposals deserves a vote in congress.3 f1 now, if you want to vote no, that's your choice. but these proposals deserve a vote. because in the two months since newtown, more than 1,000 birthdays, graduations,

anniversaries have been stolen from their lives from a bullet from a gun. more than 1,000. one of those we lost was a young girl named hadiya pendleton. she was 15 years old. she loved fig newtons and liberal arts. she was a majororette. she was so good to her friends, they all thought they were her best friend. just three weeks ago, she was here, in washington, with her classmates performing for her country in my inauguration. and a week later, she was shot and killed in a chicago park after school. just a mile away from my house. hadiya's parents, nate and cleo, are in the chamber tonight, along with more than two dozen

americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. they deserve a vote. they deserve a vote. they deserve a vote. gabby giffords deserves a vote. the families of newtown deserve a vote. the families of aurora deserve a vote. the families of oak creek and tucson and blacksburg and the countless other community ripped open by gun violence, they deserve a simple vote.

they deserve -- they deserve a simple vote. our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country. in fact, no laws, no initiatives, no administrative acts, will perfectly solve all of the challenges i've outlined tonight. but we were never sent here to be perfect. we were sent here to make what difference we can. to secure this nation, to expand opportunity, to uphold our ideals to the hard, often frustrating, but absolutely necessary work of self-government. we were sent here to look out for our fellow americans. the same way they look out for one another. every single day. usually without fanfare, all across this country.

we should follow their example. we should follow the example of the new york city nurse named menchu sanchez. when hurricane sandy plunged her hospital into darkness, she wasn't thinking about how her own home was faring, her mind was on the 20 precious newborns in her care and the rescue plan she devised that kept them all safe. we should follow the example of a north miami woman named desilene victor. when desilene arrived ahead her polling place, she was told it might be six hours. at time ticked by, her concern wasn't about her tired body or aching feet, but whether folks like her would get to have their say. hour after hour, a group of people stayed in line to support her. because desiline is 102 years

old and they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that said i voted.3 f1 there is desiline. we should follow the example of the police officer named brian murphy. when a gunman opened fire on a sikh temple in wisconsin, brian was the first to arrive, and he did not consider his own safety. he fought back until help arrived and ordered his fellow officers to protect the safety

of the fellow americans worshipping inside. even as he lay bleeding from 12 bullet wounds. and when asked how he did that, brian said that's just the way we're made. that's just the way we're made. we may do different jobs. and wear different uniforms and hold different views than the person beside us. but as americans, we all share the same proud title. we are citizens. it's a word that doesn't just describe our nationality or legal status, it describes the way we're made. it describes what we believe. it captures the enduring idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and of future generations. but our rights are wrapped up in

the rights of others. and that well into our third century as a nation, it remains the task of us all as citizens of these united states to be the authors of the next great chapter of our american story. thank you. god bless you. and god bless these united states of america. >> for the fourth time, this president has delivered the state of the union, and as we said at the top, the work of his second term now begins in earnest. a speech that built to a rare emotional climax on the topic of gun violence. chuck todd, you have covered the obama administration as chief white house correspondent. how would you sum this up? >> to me, a couple of speeches. a very run of the mill state of the union, where he was putting together agenda item after agenda item. sounded like the campaign and

sounded like it was very well focused, minimum wage, pre-k, things people care about at home, education and jobs. and then the entire tone of the speech changed at the end. incredibly emotional. you don't find many state of the unions that have moments like that. we've had -- he's had to do a state of the union right after the gabby giffords shooting that had some emotional moments and that was something else. and, boy, did he pull his full weight behind guns in a way that i don't think a lot of people expected. think about the fact of what he pushed. they deserve a vote. realize, that's all. they deserve a vote. almost an acknowledgment and an emotional push, that's all they are going to get, if they are lucky. >> savannah guthrie, you and i for one were out in tucson together. the president pledged at least that much. >> to be crass about it, he played the best card he had in a very difficult political fight, which is the emotion card. here he is in a hall full of

people who have been directly affected by gun violence, and yet he faces an uphill battle. hoping the tragedy of newtown that is still a searing scar this country has will change the political calculus. it's not just republicans he has to deal with, he has to get conservative democrats, conservative members of his own party from red states who are facing re-election are big advocates of gun rights and gun ownership. this is a difficult battle, but the president as i said using what he has. it's the calendar that's the enemy right now. the farther away you get from newtown, the more difficult this task becomes. >> of course, david gregory, the list included infrastructure tonight. the list included education and on and on, and the folks watching at home, all of us who pay taxes and are citizens would love to see something come out of that chamber.

something, some form of agreement out of our government. >> how does government work to make the economy better? that's the big challenge of the second term. boy, a shot across the aisle to republicans about the deficit. deficit reduction is not a plan for economic growth. you talk to a lot of republicans, reference check, if you can eliminate that uncertainty, deal with the debt crisis, you can have economic growth. the president saying no, there should be new investment. but he said something that really caught my attention, brian. he said that it's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth. and he mentioned apple, siemens, ceos, the business community. he hasn't had that support to cut through the budget fight. to talk about manufacturing and economic growth this is an ally he wants to use over and over again in the second term.

andrea mitchell, in your baliwick, foreign affairs. >> there is a clear warning, but some would say an empty warning, unless china jumps in with heavy sanctions there is no punishment that the west can enact. the last hope for some new diplomacy. as we see the president making his way out of the chamber, he is going to need a lot of allies on the domestic front. when we talked about immigration, there are dreamers in the audience as well. mark warner, as well as others have invited some undocumented immigrants, the young people are hoping for progress there. >> kelly o'donnell with the terrific perch in the house gallery watching all of this.

kelly, perhaps what didn't we see or hear in the limited camera angles we had during the speech that you could fill in? >> during the emotional part where the president was referring to potential gun reform, gabby giffords and her family, about five to seven feet behind me were standing, she was applauding with some difficulty with her right hand. there were also presumably moms in the gallery holding up photos. and one moment where i happened to catch, a woman shouting the name of a young woman and said she deserves a vote. and that voice sort of echoed after the president had begun to speak again and she was actually removed from the chamber. that was an interesting moment. there was sort of a wave of reaction and we were all looking around trying to get a sense. you looked around, saw families wearing the green ribbons, many of them who sat through was for many minutes a sort of meat and potatoes state of the union address and then there was

emotion and they were on their feet. that was something really to take away from this night. we knew it was coming. it seemed like a long way to get there for that particular topic, but it seemed to have real impact. the president almost taken with emotion as well. brian. >> the president is nearing the door of the chamber, and his exit, and just to set the scene for you, we -- the rules say we've got to fit in a break here. when we come back, the republican response tonight will be delivered by marco rubio of florida. we'll be talking to keer sten gillibra gillibrand, bobby jindal, and as promis promised, we have a news update from southern california. there are varying reports that a body has, indeed, been found inside the charred cabin. the situation we visited --

there is eliot engle's face time, albeit on the way out, with the president. the situation we talked about prior to the president's speech that's been going on all day long in the san bernardino mountains. a source telling us that the lapd has confirmed to the mayor of los angeles at least that the body found in the cabin is indeed that of christopher dorner. if true, days of absolute terror in southern california would indeed be coming to an end. speaking of gun violence in the united states. another loss of life today, a sheriff's deputy confirmed dead, another in critical condition, and now, of course, if true, the alleged perpetrator also a victim in this tonight, as law enforcement has been stretched

to the absolute brink in southern california. here now, the business back in the chamber of the kind of tactile politics. doesn't matter your rank or station, these are all important members of congress back in their districts, certainly in washington, but they cast all that aside to elbow each other out of the way for a handshake and as you are seeing, for an autograph, like they are at the ball game, and president is about to finally exit the chamber, the doors will be closed behind him. you hear the speaker gaveling things to order. >> what purpose does the gentleman. >> without objection, the chair lays before the house a communication.

>> and there you have it. we will be back, our coverage will continue. we'll fit a break in here, we'll be back right after this. out od to compete on the global stage. what we need are people prepared for the careers of our new economy. by 2025 we could have 20 million jobs without enough college graduates to fill them. that's why at devry university, we're teaming up with companies like cisco to help make sure everyone's is ready with the know how we need for a new tomorrow. [ male announcer ] make sure america's ready. make sure you're ready. at devry.edu. ♪

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we are back. the president has delivered his state of the union address. and now comes time for the republican response. you may have seen the cover of "time" magazine recently. the man giving the response tonight was called the republican savior. that can be embarrassing. no pressure there. he went on to say after that cover came out "i didn't write the cover. i wouldn't have said it. if i wrote it. there are no saviors in politics."

however, and nonetheless, david gregory, marco rubio, freshman senator from florida, is an increasingly important figure in this party. >> he is. in style and substance. look at the key figure there. cuban american, and is part of a new wave of leadership in the republican party that he hopes can be leadership of the republican party. he can put a new face on the party and put a new message on expanding the base. with all of the discord in the party, many think he's the best to carry the message and by the way, khe could run for presiden not too far off. >> chuck todd, your theme was the census, what the obama camp did, they played the census. like they ordered the report and sat there and studied it. >> they did. and this time the republican party is responding. that's why it was the biggest no brainer of who were you going to have to give this response, who were you going to have as the

face of the party? notice who is playing point in dealing with immigration in getting this what has been a weight on the republican party out of the way. marco rubio to get it done. the last successful responser that made it to the oval office was bill clintclinton. it can be a trap door. >> without the trappings of the presidency, are you subject to whatever stage craft the party can muster, which has at times been lackluster to put it very bluntly. marco rubio has the double-edged sword of the immigration challenge and getting right. a lot of eyes will be on him. and that starts this evening. so here now, he's already delivered one on tape for a spanish speaking audience.

here is the english language version. >> good evening. i'm marco rubio. i'm blessed to represent florida in the united states senate. tonight, i have the honor of responding to the state of the union address on behalf of my fellow republicans. and i'm especially honored to address our brave men and women serving throughout the world. you may be thousands of miles away, but are you always in our prayers. the state of the union address is always a reminder of how unique america is. for much of human history, most people were trapped in stagnant society where is a tiny minority always stayed on top and no one else even had a chance. but america is exceptional, because we believe every life, at every stage, is precious. and that everyone everywhere has a god-given right to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them. like most americans, for me, this ideal is personal.

my parent immigrated here in pursuit of the opportunity to improve their life and give their children the chance of an even better one. they made it to the middest class. my dad working as a bartender and my mother working as a cashier and maid. i didn't inherit any money from them. i inherited something far better. the real opportunity to accomplish my dreams. this opportunity, to make it to the middle class or beyond, no matter where you start out in life, it isn't bestowed on us from washington. it comes from a vibrant free economy where people can risk their own money to open a business and when they succeed, they hire more people who in turn invest or spend their money they make helping others start a business and create jobs. presidents in both parties from john f. kennedy to ronald reagan have known that our free enterprise economy is the source of our prosperity. but president obama believes it's the cause of our problems. that the economic down turn happened because our government didn't tax enough, spend enough,

or control enough. and, therefore, as you heard tonight, his solution to virtually every problem we face is for washington to tax more, borrow more, and spend more, this idea that our problems are caused by a government that was too small is just not true. in fact, the major cause of our recent down turn was the housing down turn created by reckless government policies, and the idea that more taxes and more government spending is the best way to help hard-working middle class taxpayers, that's an old idea that's failed every time it's been tried. more government isn't going to help you get ahead,ith goi it's to hold you back. more government won't create more opportunities, it will limit them. more government isn't going to inspire new ideas, new businesses and new private-sector jobs. it's going to create uncertainty, because more government breeds complicated rules and laws that small businesses can't afford to follow. because more government raises taxes on employers who then pass

the costs onto their employees through fewer hours, lower pay and even layoffs, and many government programs that claim to help the middle class often end up hurting them. for example, obama care, it was supposed to help middle class americans afford health insurance. but now some people are losing the health insurance they were happy with and because obama care created expensive requirements for companies with more than 50 employees, now many of these companies aren't hiring, not only that, they are being forced to lay people off and switch from full-time employees to part-time workers. does this mean there is no role for government? of course not. it creates a crucial role for keeping us safe, providing security against the risks of modern life. but government's role is wisely limited by the constitution. and it can't play an essential role when it ignores those limits. there are valid reasons to be concerned about the president's plan to grow our government.

but any time anyone opposes the president's agenda, he and his allies usually respond by falsely attacking their motives. when we point out that no matter how many job-killing laws we pass, our government can't control the weather, he accuses us of wanting dirty water and dirty air. when we suggest we strengthen our safety net programs by to manage them, he accuses us of wanting to leave the elderly and disabled in defense of themselves. and tonight he even criticized us for refusing to delay taxes to delay military cuts, cuts that were his idea in the first place. and that those who disagree with him only care about rich people. i live in the same middle class neighborhood i grew up. they aren't millionaires. they are worker who's have to get up early tomorrow morning and go to work to pay the bill. they are immigrants who came here because they were stuck in

poverty in the countries where the government dominated the economy. the tax increases and the deficit spending you propose will hurt middle class families. it will cost them their raises, cost them their benefits and may even cost them their jobs, and it will hurt seniors because it does nothing to save medicare and social security. mr. president, i don't oppose your plan because i want to protect the rich. i oppose your plan because i want to protect my neighbors, hard-working middle class americans who don't need a plan to grow the government. they need a plan to grow the middle class. economic growth is the best way to help the middle class. unfortunately, our economy actually shrank during the last two months of 2012. if we can get the economy to grow at just 4% a year it would create middle class jobs and reduce our deficit by almost $4 trillion, over the next decade. tax increases can't do this.

raising taxes won't create private sector jobs and no realistic tax increase would lower deficits by more than $4 trillion. that's why i hope the president will abandon his obsession with raising taxes and instead work with us to achieve real growth in our economy. one of the best ways to encourage growth is through our energy industry. of course, solar and wind energy should be part of our portfolio, but god blessed america with abundant coal, oil, and natural gas. instead of wasting more taxpayer money on so-called kiclean ener companies like sylindra, let's open public lands for energy exploration. if we can grow our energy industry it will make us energy independent and create middle class jobs and help bring manufacturing back from places like china. simplifying our tax code will also help the middle class because it will make it easier

for small businesses to hire and grow. we agreed with the president. we should lower our corporate tax rates, one of the highest in the world. so companied will bring money and jobs back here from overseas. we can also help grow our economy, if we have a legal immigration system that allows to us attract and assimilate the best and brightest. we need a responsible permanent solution to those who are here illegally, but, first, we must follow through on the broken promises of the past to secure our borders and enforce our laws. helping the middle class grow will also require an education system that gives people the skills that today's jobs entail and the knowledge that tomorrow's jobs will require. we need to incentivize local school districts for more job training and we need to give all parents, especially those with children with special needs, the

opportunity to send children to the school of their choicing. and because college costs have grown so fast, we need to change the way we fund education. it's not just about spending more money. it's about strengthing and modernizing them. the 21st century workforce shouldn't be forced to accept 21st century solutions. today's students aren't only 18 years old. they are veterans, single parents that decide to get the education they need to make a decent wage, and workers that lost jobs that are never coming back ask that need to be retrained. we need student aid that doesn't discriminate against online courses or degree programs that give you credit for work experience. when i finished school, i owed over $100,000 in student loans, a debt i paid off just a few months ago. many graduates face massive student loans.

we must give them more information on cost and benefits student loans are taking out. these are key to growing the economy. we won't be able to sustain a vibrant middle class unless we solve our debt problem. every dollar our government borrows is money that isn't being invested to create jobs and the uncertainty created by the debt is one reason why many businesses aren't hiring. the president loves to blame the debt on president bush. but president obama created more debt in four years than his predecessor did in eight. the real cause of debt is our government is spending $1 trillion more than it takes in every year. that's why we need a balanced budget amendment. the biggest obstacle to balance the budget is programs where spending is already locked in. one of these programs is medicare. especially important to me. it provided my father the care he needed to battle cancer. and ultimately to die with dignity. and it pays for the care my mother receives right now. i would never support any

changes to medicare that would hurt seniors like my mother. but anyone who is in favor of leaving medicare exactly wathe y it is right now is in favor of bankrupting it. republicans have offered a detailed and credible plan that will reform medicare without hurting retirees. instead of playing politics, when is the president going to offer his detailed plan to save it? tonight would be a good time to do it. we face other changes as well. we were heartbroken by the recent tragedy in newtown. unconstitutionally undermining the second rights of law-abiding americans not the way to change the problem. and we need to be aware of safeguarding property and human rights. the world is a better place when america is the strongest nation on earth. we can't he remain powerful without an economy that can afford it.

the short time i'm in washington, nothing frustrates me more than false choices like the one the president laid out tonight. the choice isn't just between big government and big business. we need accountable, efficient, and effective government that allows new businesses to create more middle class jobs. we don't have to raise taxes to avoid the president's testimony devastating cuts to our military. republicans have passed a plan that replaces these cuts with responsible spending reforms. in order to balance our budget, the choice doesn't have to be higher taxes or dramatic benefit cuts for those in need. we should grow our economy so we can create new taxpayers, not new taxes, and so our government can afford to help those who truly cannot help themselves. and the truth is, every problem can't be solved by the government. many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society and the answer to these challenges lie primarily in our families and

our faith, not our politicians. despite our differences, i know republicans and democrats love america. i pray we can come together and solve our problems, because the choices before us could not be more important. if we can get our economy healthy again, our children will be the most prosperous americans ever, and if we do not, we will forever be known as the generation responsible for america's decline. at a time when one showdown after another ends in short-term deals that do nothing about our problems, some are starting to believe our government leaders can't or won't make the choices anymore. our strength has never come from the white house or the capitaca it comes from our people. americans have always celebrated and been inspired by those who succeed. but it's the dreams of those who are still trying to make it that sets our nation apart.

tonight, all across this land, parents will hold their newborn children in their arms for the first time. many of these parents -- for many of these parents, life has not gone the way they had planned. maybe they were born into circumstances that were difficult to escape, maybe they made mistakes along the way. maybe they are long mothers all alone, the father of the child long gone. tonight when they look into the eyes of their child for the first time, their lives will change forever, because in those eyes, they will see what my parents saw in me. and what your parents saw in you. they will see all the hopes and dreams they once had for themselves. this dream of a better life for their children, it's the hope of parents everywhere. politicians here and throughout the world have long promised that more government can make those dreams come true, but we americans have always known better. from our earliest days, we embraced economic liberty and

because we did, america remains one of the few places on earth where dreams like these even have a chance. each time our nation faces great challenges, what kept us together is a shared home for a better life. now, let that hope bring us together again. to solve the challenges of our time and write the next chapter in the amazing story of the greatest nation man has ever known. thank you for listening. may god bless all of you. may god bless our president. and may god continue to bless the united states of america. >> marco rubio of florida. at times impassioned, very much a speech themed as the son of immigran immigrants. sadly, we were talking about the perils of stage craft and the pressure on this republican response, while this senator was -- for his back drop chose

the speaker of the house's conference room, it was equally impassioned drink of water that is right now trending on twitter as we go to a break, we'll continue our coverage, right after this. out of a vital resoud to compete on the global stage. what we need are people prepared for the careers of our new economy. by 2025 we could have 20 million jobs without enough college graduates to fill them. that's why at devry university, we're teaming up with companies like cisco to help make sure everyone's is ready with the know how we need for a new tomorrow. [ male announcer ] make sure america's ready. conference room, it was equally

we are back. about the squig of water being tweeted around the world. the form every aide to governor romney, tweeting i would have had the water bottle closer. in the industry to make sure politicians' lives are comfortable. let's bring on a guest who gathered his own comments after giving his own response to the president of the united states, the governor of the state of louisiana, nice enough to join us as fat tuesday draws to a close. always a big day in the state of louisiana. governor jindal, thank you for being with us. i wanted to talk to you tonight,

governor, because i found your remarks to a republican conference recently so interesting. you said, we have got to stop being the stupid party. and at that point, there was a reaction from the crowd, and you calmed them down, and you said, no, i'm serious. it's time for a new republican party that talks like adults. we had a number of republicans damage the brand this year with offensive and bizarre comments. i'm here to say we've had enough of that. can you go further? is this a redesign? is this a rebuilding year for the gop? >> brian, first of all, thank you for having me. i thought senator rubio did a wonderful job. look, i don't think our party needs to abandon our principles. i said we need to quit being the stupid party, we need to be the party of growth. you heard the president double down on the last four years, double down on taking more money out of the economy, growing the government economy, not the private sector economy. we have seen wall street greed,

now government greed. never enough taxes, never enough spending. one city doing very well in the president's economy. that's washington, d.c. we as the republican party need to be about energy reform, education reform, about simplifying the tax code, taking out loopholes and special breaks. yes, we need to be consistent with principles, but we need to show how principles are aspirational and how they help people join and thrive in the middle class. >> the president talked about lurching from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. you get to be executive in baton rouge and keep some of the washington mess off of you, but when does standing for something mean obstructionism? the folks watching at home are so hungry to see cooperation and progress? >> look, the president has an opportunity to lead. for example, on sequestration.

talking about less than 3% of the federal government, what they spend every year, certainly a prioritized list of cuts. he just got a $600 billion plus tax increase. if we don't need to increase taxes on the american people, get rid of the loopholes, make everybody pay their fair share. use those revenues to lower rates, grow the private sector economy. i think there is an opportunity to work across party lines if the president is willing to lead and get away from ideology. i'm concerned about tonight's speech. on one hand, he almost echoed governor clinton. he said we don't need new government programs, but then he listed a bunch of new government programs. the president says there is not a problem that a government program can't solve. we don't need another four years of this. national debt over $16 trillion, mr. president, stop the spending, stop raising taxes,

let's grow the private sector economy, not the government. >> governor bobby jindal, thank you for agreeing to be with us tonight. >> thank you, brian. >> now from statuary hall, kirsten jillgillibrand, senator from, new york. you were with john mccain. what it was like watching the president with one of the stalwarts of the gop in the senate? >> i thought the president did a great job. i thought it was the strongest state of the union for his presidency. a lot of bipartisan support for a lot of things he talked about. everybody wants to see made in america again, and i saw a lot of republicans standing with democrats when he talked about rebuilding the economy. i loved the fact that he talked about the opportunity for potential of every american child and focused on universal

pre-k that had overwhelming bipartisan support, and when he talked about how much gun violence has affected the lives of so many people in that chamber, there was bipartisan support and talked about one of my bills that's bipartisan, the schumer bill that's bipartisan. that's the future of this congress, and i thought he did a great job laying out that vision. >> speaking of bipartisan, for your constituents watching in new york and folks watching around the country, a very plain english question. what are you guys going to really get done this year? >> i think there is a lot we're going to get done. immigration reform is something that is a call to action, democrats and republicans share, they want to make sure we have a comprehensive plan. ending gun violence in our country by ending trafficking and stop purchasing and background checks done, those are common sense bipartisan things. the number one issue in new york and across the country is the economy. the quickest way to pay down the

debt ais to improve the economy. >> thank you for being with us. we appreciate it. >> thank you so much. >> as we said, we're covering this other story as well. breaking news story. all day long, stretching into the evening in southern california. the san bernardino mountains. police concentrated on one cabin. an exchange of gunfire and a fire that raged for over an hour. tonight, we're getting confirmed reports there was indeed a body inside. nbc's mike tiabi, what do we know. >> reporter: it seems it is over. the office of the mayor antonio vil villaraigosa has confirmed it's

the body of christopher dorner. the cabin burning until about 7:30 tonight, when it burned itself out. firefighters went inside and recovered the body. this started with the report of a stolen car, a gun fight, two deputies shot, one of them fatally and the standoff ending in the fire and the removal of the charred body of what is believed to be christopher dorner, the suspect holding the city, the region, and much of the country in his terrorized fall. >> if you were watching in los angeles tonight, this has been such an urgent and nervous time, the viewers on our nbc station and other network affiliated stations in los angeles were watching live coverage of that instead of the state of the union, local stations preferred to stay in local news coverage, they were so anxious this be over. andr

andrea mitchell, this is part of the pal, of gun violence that kin of formed the back drop for the president to come into the chamber tonight. someone mentioned on social media immediately after the speech, we weren't talking about the economy. we were talking about that last emotional note. >> and even though the white house has said, this is about the middle class, this is about the economy, the emotional weight of the people in that hall and of the president's rhetorical appeal, they deserve a vote. that was what was so compelling. he ended on that crescendo, emotional crescendo, and all built to that. seeing gabby giffords and the parents of hadiya pendleton, all of that is what we take away from the speech. the president probably accomplished a lot in terms of building public support for some kind of action. >> savannah chuck said this. it was a tone at the en. i don't know that we've ever

really seen in a state of the union address? >> they are normally anodyne affairs. the beginning of the speech was so different. the president walked in, and i used the word loose. very confident, self-assured and through the beginning of the speech it seemed almost chided congress a little bit. come on, take a vote. at many different times reflecting impatience and frustration. that's the very tone that drives republican crazy when they feel the president has come off this re-election emboldened and in some cases they would say overconfident and that's part of what is driving what's going on, the dynamic in washington right now, why it's so divided, these sides are polarized right now. >> chuck, a lot of this is a fairly new dynamic, the idea of us being here for an evening state of the union address is

only as old as lyndon johnson presidency. another modern tradition is the president going out to use a coarse word to sell it. and he's going on several stops. >> what's interesting, in previous state of the unions, he didn't do that as much. this time, they are basically taking the page from the clinton playbook and the bush playbooks and the reagan playbooks, going to north carolina and going to be in chicago later in the week and going to be going around, doing the various proposals and you heard him name check, north carolina, talking about siemens ceos. i think the stuff you will hear him sell will be the things that hit home to people, the education, college score card, that's stuff we don't talk about pundits. average americans saying i'm curious, i would like to know what the government says is the best money -- the best college that my money could go to, things like that.

they think they have a very good poll tested message to sell. >> one of the messages in the president's speech was the killing 15-year-old majorette a mile from my house. the president, after this awful summer of gun violence, into fall, into winter, has not made it his own. why is that? >> i think he went a long way toward changing that tonight. he has said that this was the worst day of his presidency, dealing with newtown, this is not part of the agenda that he came into office wanting to really deal with, and yet here he begins his second term. i was surprised. i thought he really went for it tonight, yes, he only said as chuck pointed out, he just not a vote. trimmed his sails, i don't think he thinks he will get an assault weapons ban, a matter of consciousness he is fighting hard. he wants to use leverage here, brian, and on the budget.

the economy, he wants to drive that now and appear to be the reasonable person in washington. not a lot of confidence that there is anybody reasonable in washington right now. >> speaking of gun violence, again, for viewers in the western half of the country, maybe just coming home, tuning in. no less than a campaign of terror in southern california. 50 families of lapd officers have had round the clock personal protection, 24 hours a day. that appears to be over. it appears the suspect, ex-cop, former military veteran, has died in a mountainside cabin. all of our coverage continues tomorrow morning on "today." for our team here, i'm brian williams, nbc news, washington. >> you are watching wbal-tv 11. live. local. late breaking. this is 11 news tonight at